


i believe in what we are

by SoVeryAverageMe



Category: Mighty Ducks (Movies)
Genre: Cake-eater as a term of endearment, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Future Fic, Hockey Commentator Adam Banks, M/M, Mentioned Dean Portman/Fulton Reed, Mentioned Guy Germaine/Connie Moreau, Peewee Coach Charlie Conway
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-18
Updated: 2020-12-18
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:14:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28145952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SoVeryAverageMe/pseuds/SoVeryAverageMe
Summary: Adam surprises Charlie at peewee practice the day before they have to fly to Minnesota for their 20 year high school reunion.(Or, two decades later and the Ducks are still flying high).
Relationships: Adam Banks/Charlie Conway
Comments: 8
Kudos: 33
Collections: Yuletide 2020





	i believe in what we are

**Author's Note:**

  * For [snowshus](https://archiveofourown.org/users/snowshus/gifts).



> If I've done my math correctly, then if the Ducks were freshman in 1996, their 20 year high school reunion would be this year. (I guess this fic is technically an AU in the sense it takes place in a 2020 where COVID didn't happen, but I wanted to imagine these people are still gathering for a pick-up game 20 years later and that wasn't really possible in a world where they needed to socially distance). 
> 
> It was a joy to write this fic (and I always love returning to Mighty Ducks!)
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

Charlie placed the clipboard down on the bench and skated out onto the ice, blowing his whistle. “Gather around!”

The gaggle of eleven and twelve year-olds looked up from their scrimmage. One of them used the distraction to score one last goal. When the goalie noticed the puck sliding past him, he jokingly pushes the other boy on the shoulder before picking up the puck and joining the team huddle.

“Connor, that’s not going to count in a real game,” Charlie reminded him, “but your puck handling has definitely improved. That goes for all of you. I know we have some tough games this season, but I think you’re all showing a lot of progress, and we have a chance to make it all the way through playoffs.”

Riley waved her hand back and forth down. “Yes?”

“Even go all the way to state, Coach Conway?” she asked, jumping up and down in her skates.

“There’s some tough teams in New York, but I think that we could definitely go all the way to state.” He leveled a serious look at the team, “But it’s going to take all of us.” Some of the children were nodding vigorously alongside him. “And remember, what’s the most important thing to do while playing?”

“Have fun!” The team cheered in unison.

“That’s right.” He stuck his hands into his pockets. “We might not make it all the way, but hockey is about more than winning.”

“But winning feels pretty good,” someone called out from the back.

“We better make sure we’re at the top of our game, then,” Charlie laughed. “One last thing before I release you. I want to remind you that I’ll be gone next week. I’ve arranged for my friend, Jesse Hall, to come in and be your substitute coach.” He crossed his arms in front of him, looking down at the team. “I expect that you’ll all behave for Coach Hall. I’ll be asking him to give me a full report of practice, so you better be on your best behavior.”

“Where are you going next week, Coach?”

He opened his mouth respond, “I’m—”

“How’s the team shaping up this year?” Adam was leaning against the boards closest to their team huddle.

“Cake-eater!” Charlie broke out into an infectious smile, skating toward him with his team following behind him. “We’re really starting to mesh. I think we’re going to go far this year.”

“Woah!” Riley rocked back and forth on her skates, point at Adam. “You’re from the TV.”

“That’s Coach Conway’s husband,” David, a two-year veteran of the team, loudly whispered. “They’re married and do grown-up stuff together.”

“Thank you, David.” Charlie said, cutting off the conversation. “This is indeed my husband, Adam. You may have seen him doing game commentary on the NHL Network. That’s his job.”

A flurry of questions were shouted all at once:

_“Who’s the most famous person you know?”_

_“Can you get into games for free?”_

_“Is it scary being on TV?”_

_“Does coach make you skate laps too?”_

_“Do you love him?”_

“Slow down, everyone.” Charlie put his hands in the air to try to calm down the team. “I’m sure that we can invite Adam back for another practice, and he’ll answer all your questions. Right now, you all need to get changed so your parents can pick you up. I’m sure some of them are already waiting in the lobby.”

They didn’t move.

“Go,” he said shaking his head and blowing the whistle. The team scattered off the ice.

Adam was smiling at him from behind boards. “What?”

“You just remind me of another great coach we once had.”

Charlie’s cheeks felt warm, and he leaned over to kiss Adam. They both wanted to deepen it, but he moved back before it could go any further. “We need to keep it PG. I’m sure one of the kids is probably spying on us from the bleachers.”

“Yeah,” Adam gently moved his bangs away from his face, causing Charlie to subconsciously lean into the warmth of his hand. “We wouldn’t want to scar them, but to answer one of their questions: I am head-over-heels in love with you.” 

“I love you too.” He leaned in to kiss him again. After leaving one last kiss on his nose, causing it to adorably scrunch up, Charlie finally pulled away. “I thought you were stuck at the studio trying to finish everything up before we leave for Minnesota tomorrow.” He opened the gate and sat on the bench, bending down to take his skates off.

“I managed to get everything done early. I told one of my coworkers that I was leaving town for my 20-year high school reunion, and they volunteered to take care of anything if it comes up.”

“Um, excuse me,” Charlie stood up and poked him in the chest. “It’s actually just _my_ high school reunion. You got scouted at 16 to join juniors. You didn’t even get your high school degree in this country – you were too busy being a young, hotshot hockey star in Canada.”

“Fine,” Adam snagged his waist and pulled him in close. “It’s your high school reunion, but it’s _our_ Eden Hall Ducks reunion. Everyone’s going to be there, right?”

“It sounds like it.” Charlie pulled them toward the exit of the rink, wanting to make sure that all of the kids had been picked up. “Portman and Fulton even pulled their girl out of school to make it a family vacation.”

“How old is she now?”

There were still a few kids milling around the lobby, so Charlie pulled the two of them toward the doors to wait before answering, “She’s eight and already better on skates than any of us were at her age.”

Adam squeezed his hand. “I know! From all of the videos they post on social media, she’s going to be quite the enforcer when she grows up.”

Charlie’s phone dinged and he flicked the screen to see the text. “Guy keeps talking about how he’s going to be so happy to experience Minnesota weather again.

“He’s been a scout for the Panthers for five years,” Adam shook his head. “You’d think he’d be acclimated to Florida by now.” 

“To be fair, he does spend a lot of the year on the road.”

“I’ve heard.” Adam continued after Charlie shot him an inquiring look. “Connie and Guy’s schedules lined up quite a bit this year. They ended up going to a bunch of games together to scout players.”

“Seriously?” he shook his head. “What are the chances?”

“I know, and evidently, the two of them have been,” Adam raised his hands to make air quotes, “reconnecting on the road, according to her.”

Charlie laughed, leaning onto his shoulder. “Connie and you are still gossiping together after two decades.”

Adam shrugged, a helpless little smile on his face. “Some things never change.”

“Yeah, and some things change for the better,” he replied, leaning in to kiss him on the cheek.

Charlie scanned the now empty lobby, nodding when the employee at the front desk gave him a thumbs up. “Everyone’s accounted for. Do we need to stop anywhere, or can we head straight home?”

“We should go home so we can finish packing for our trip.” Adam replied, swinging an arm around his shoulders to lead them out of the rink.

Charlie’s phone buzzed again on their way out. He glanced down to view the preview before pocketing the device.

“Anything important?” Adam asked, looking at him in his periphery vision.

“Nah, nothing we need to think about right now.” Charlie smiled, pulling him closer while they walked.

Bombay had just texted him the details of a venue that they should tour for their vow renewal while they were back in town. Charlie hadn’t told his husband yet, but he didn’t think that there was anything to worry about: Adam had already said “I do” to him once. There wasn’t any chance of him being rejected the second time around.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sure that all of this will become non-canonical the second the Disney+ series drops, but it's always fun to imagine what these characters are up to in the present day. 
> 
> Thanks so much for reading!


End file.
